Sharp's Blu-ray home-cinema audio system

A pricey sound setup complete with its own Blu-ray player

Shares

Like most new technologies, the advance of high definition video is creating new markets for savvy manufacturers to sell into - larger screens, repackaged film releases and all manner of home-cinema components appear on shop shelves daily. Sharp 's new 7.1 audio system fits nicely into that paradigm.

The ¥1,050,000 (£4,460) BD-MPC70 BD 1-Bit Theater not only features some top-notch audio technology that plays nicely with the company's range of Aquos HD TV sets, but it also includes a 1080p Blu-ray player of its own.

Looking good, sounding good

Sharp's 1-Bit digital amplifier has long been used in its portable MiniDisc players and DVD separates, but this is the first time we've seen it as part of an HD setup.

If it really does "reproduce sound with unprecedented fidelity to the original source", as the blurb says, then 7.1 channels of that should complement the high-definition images well. Given the high price tag, it's also fortunate that the new system looks like it'll complement most living rooms too.